Bronze Medal Drama over Olympic Gymnastic Floor Routine

I hope from deep of my heart that at the next Olympics, all three of us will share same podium. This is my true dream!

Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu on Instagram stories, concerning news she may now receive the bronze medal and third place. Barbosu competed in the individual Olympic floor routine event and initially lost to Team USA’s Jordan Chiles in a score change due to a challenge by the U.S. team. Now, new questions have surfaced about the true winner.

Why It Matters: According to the latest statement from the International Olympic Committee, Barbosu is now the winner of the bronze medal for the gymnastics floor event. However, we have a *new* challenge *since* that announcement.

Quick Rewind: Last Monday during the individual floor event, Chiles originally received a score of 13.666 and fifth place before her coaches submitted an inquiry/appeal with the judging panel, arguing that she should not have received a one-tenth deduction to her difficulty score for her tour jete full, which is a split leap. The judges agreed and elevated Chiles’ score to 13.766 (elevating her to bronze).

On Saturday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) voided the appeal by Chiles’ coach that vaulted Chiles to third, saying the appeal came four seconds after the one-minute time limit for scoring inquiries. The International Olympic Committee said in a statement that Barbosu is now the winner of the bronze medal and that Chiles would have to return her bronze.

On Sunday, USA Gymnastics disputed the timing, saying in a statement that the agency submitted video evidence to CAS that showed the coaches appealed 13 seconds before the deadline: “The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted.”

Now, questions remain about where the appeal may end up – scenarios include: “Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or the European Court of Human Rights.” (The Associated Press)

Read More: Jordan Chiles has been stripped of a gymnastics bronze medal, but the USOPC says it will appeal (The Associated Press)

Photo Credit: NBC